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In Japan, a Bird’s-Eye View

The Tokyo design studio Nendo has created a treehouse for the Ando Momofuku Center in Japan that is part birdhouse, part human observation deck.

One side of the white structure holds 78 nesting spaces for birds, giving it the appearance of an avian condominium. The other side, reached by a tall ladder, offers a human-size entrance to a space where a lone visitor can observe the birds’ habitat through peepholes in a partition.

Located in Komoro City, in Japan’s mountainous Nagano Prefecture, Momofuku Center promotes access to nature. For its part, Nendo, founded by Oki Sato, has regularly shown an affinity for natural forms. The firm designed a flower-shaped lamp with “petals” that open when heated by a light bulb. Earlier this year, they created an air purifier with a green plastic sprig scented with the essence of fir trees, and rugs with the patterns of insect wings.